From Santiago early on the Saturday morning, I took a small mini bus up high into the nearby Andes, for a weekend of fresh air, walking and picnicking.
The journey took two hours, and followed a river valley that quickly became a canyon. I was headed to the head of this Canjon De Maipu, the village of Baños Morales.
After finding a small guest house run by a very elderly couple. I headed up the glacial morraine towards Momumento National Morado, a great pyramind of rock, drapped with glaciers.
The trek to the lake below the glaciers took about 2 hours and was very easy going. Being on Santiago's doorstep, it is very popular here at weekends. In summer (January February, I believe it gets very crowded).
The following day I took it easy just walking around and watching the Andean condors fly high on the thermals. Magificent huge birds.
